Posted in Grammar, etc., tagged Apostrophes, Bright ideas, Peeves, Signs on March 13, 2010| Leave a Comment »
So I’m on high alert for interesting signs now. My friends know this, and have shared some spectacular ones. This is the one everyone sent me this week:
Nope. Still not right.
Near “South of the Border” (!) I discovered a place with a treasure trove of fireworks. The labels are amazing. Check it out:
Perfect for St. Patrick's Day
There’s nothing grammatically wrong, but I’m not sure I like the idea of flaming balls.
Posted in Random, tagged Bright ideas, Death, Definitions, Kids, Parenting, Peeves, Rage, Soccer, Students on March 11, 2010| 4 Comments »
My transformation is now complete. I am now part of the “Mom” species. Yes, I know I have two kids and have been a mom for a while. But this week, I became a Mom with a capital M.
One of my students said about me, “She is like the cool mom.” And that aged me 10 years.
Then Dominic started soccer practice. And that added 10 more. I’m a freakin’ Soccer Mom. Feeling middle-aged and frumpy. How did this happen?
Soon, I’ll be shopping at JCPenney for Mom jeans. Thanks to SNL, I can show you what I mean.
The good news is that the boys love soccer. I’m happy because they’ll learn teamwork and get some exercise. Too bad the sand gnats like soccer practice too.
Dominic (blue shorts) learns fundamentals
Gideon's got mad skillz
Posted in Grammar, etc., tagged Bright ideas, Bureaucrats, Peeves, Signs on February 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »
I know I haven’t posted in a few days. Too much going on. I apologize. Let me make it up to you with the following photo.
Why is “one” in quotation marks on the sign? Is it because they are trying to be cute with counting?
OK, then what about the other sign up the road:
God wants “full” custody, not just weekend visitation.
Why is “full” in quotation marks? Perhaps this blogger can explain.
Posted in Random, tagged Bright ideas, Food, Loneliness, Media, Politicians, Requests, Soldier support on February 21, 2010| Leave a Comment »
My niece, Nina, created a list of things soldiers need. For most of us in our comfortable homes in our comfortable lives, it is hard to image that the troops need such simple things. Get ye to Walgreens (I hear they give you a discount on purchases for soldiers)!
Remember: Happy and healthy troops can make progress and get home soon!
Lt. Mark Greenlief tries to make friends with the locals
Posted in Random, tagged Bright ideas, Soldier support on February 20, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Now that I have your attention about supporting troops (I hope), here is what you can do:
Send packages and letters.
That’s it. It is easy! In fact, there are organizations that will do it for you.
Here is a list of Marines and Corpsmen in the Operation PAL program. Here is a list of thousands of soldiers in the armed forces in the Any Soldier program.
If you want to do more, you can organize a care package drive. This site tells you how.
You can do more. It is all up to you.
Posted in Grammar, etc., tagged Bright ideas, Bureaucrats, Peeves, Signs, Students on February 15, 2010| 2 Comments »
Today’s topic and photo are courtesy of Travis, a student in the SCAD writing department. He discovered this sign on a printer in the Jen Library. Some students say it has been there for a couple of weeks.
Here’s my beef with this sign: the word “utilize.” What did the word “use” ever do to anyone? “Utilize” is like pearls on a pig. Pointless. “Use” is a fine word; there is nothing wrong with it. That’ll do, Pig. That’ll do.
And don’t get me started on “supersize” as a verb. Damn you, McDonald’s.
Posted in Grammar, etc., tagged Academics, Bright ideas, Peeves, Signs, Students on February 2, 2010| 5 Comments »
I must thank Jacque, a student in the SCAD writing department, for providing the subject of tonight’s blog post. She reports that the image below was on the desktop of the college’s computers.
Ordinarily, I’d ask you to avert your eyes at such hideousness, but not tonight. Tonight I want you to look. Focus on it in all of its glory. And then let’s talk about it.
WHAT is going on here? Do people in these departments not know that there are people at SCAD who can help them write and design marketing materials? Is Montgomery Hal any relation to Shallow Hal? How many fonts are represented overall? And the colors! The colors! GAH!
Please make it stop.
Posted in Chickens, tagged Bright ideas, Facebook, Pecking order, Requests, Trish (the chicken) on January 27, 2010| 1 Comment »
Trish the Chicken now has her own Facebook page.
Trish updates her status
Trish is more technologically advanced than any chicken (and many people). Check her out:
Posted in Random, tagged Academics, Bright ideas, Bureaucrats, Death, Kids, Media, Parenting, Rage, Students on January 22, 2010| 6 Comments »
In 2005, when SCAD was considering offering a writing major, I thought to myself, “Self, it would be great to teach in that department.” Though I had oodles of work experience, I knew that SCAD’s accrediting body prefers terminal degrees in the field of instruction. So I had two choices: Get another M.F.A. (the one I have is in performing arts) or get a Ph.D. I chose the latter.
I had three criteria in mind as I researched programs: areas of study offered (journalism or communications), proximity and reputation. The one that fulfilled all these requirements was University of South Carolina.
Eddie badgered me to apply. “But that would require taking the GRE!” I whined. “And I’m pregnant!”
“So?” he said, with very little compassion, I might add.
Lest you think he is heartless, his philosophy was that I might as well get on it while the kids were very young. That way I would be done when they got old enough to start extracurricular activities that I wouldn’t want to miss.
I knew he was right. I forced myself to take the GRE and apply to the doctoral program in the USC School of Journalism and Mass Communications. I was accepted, and began coursework Fall 2006. The total courses involved for most folks: 16 (48 semester hours). For me: 18 (because my master’s is not in the specific area).
I finished the coursework in April 2009. I spent the summer procrastinating on my dissertation proposal, and dreading the comprehensive exams (four days, three hours a day of answering questions in four areas: theory, methods, ethics and rhetoric, which is my outside area). I passed the foreign language proficiency test in October (see related post). The comps dread continued.
The time came, though, for me to put up or shut up. I studied my haunches off in preparation for the comps, which I stupidly scheduled for the week after Thanksgiving. The 19 people in my house for the holiday might not have fully understood why I was so stressed out.
Along with the written comps, there is an oral defense. That happened today. After my committee slowly roasted me over an open fire for two hours, they decreed that I had passed. To be honest, the first 20 minutes were horrendous, but then the rest was fine. The discussion will help me hone my dissertation proposal, for sure.
And that is the next step. I defend said proposal in front of my committee Feb. 19. Once I pass (the power of positive thinking), I will work exclusively on my own research for my dissertation. Then I will have to defend my dissertation in front of the same committee. Thumbs up, and my hooding awaits. Thumbs down, and … well, that’s really not an option for me.
So if I look a little frazzled in February (and over the summer), you’ll know why.
Posted in Grammar, etc., tagged Academics, Bright ideas, Kids, Peeves, Punctuation on January 20, 2010| 5 Comments »
Tonight I became “that person.” But I did what I had to do.
I couldn’t just sit there and let it continue to happen.
I answered the call. The call of the abused apostrophe.
Though I love, LOVE my children’s school, I am sometimes surprised by the notes that come home. Notes about “Dress-down Fridays” bothered me greatly. They bothered me because they advertised “Dress Down Friday’s.”
I could hear the abused apostrophe screaming.
I let it go, for a time.
But tonight in the PTO meeting, I heeded the call. The chair asked for corrections to the minutes. I saw my opportunity and took it. I begged him to allow Friday to be plural, not possessive. “Let the minutes reflect the change,” said the chair. And the apostrophe and I wept.
Afterward, a couple of other parents thanked me. And there was much rejoicing.
Observe and report 